Download Thread

This hacks allows you to download a thread into your computer (desktop etc.) as a text file with one click.

The hack adds a "DOWNLOAD THREAD" link next to "Subscribe to this Thread" and when clicked entire thread is downloaded. (See Screenshot)

It's useful when:
a) You want to archive and save the thread,
b) Want to read it offline,
c) It's a long thread and you want to browse it faster as a text file, use better searching features of your text editor. For example wouldnt it be nice to download and search a keyword in the text file in, say, Lesene's Store Hack Thread which has 921 replies?

Anyway the hack works with ALL vb versions and very easy to apply (2 steps/ 2 minutes..). If you install it, please click INSTALL, thank you.

Note : Download function is tested with IE v.6.0 and Netscape v.4.7 and it's working in both browsers. I dont know other browsers or older versions though

Note : For Italian Translation (and instructions) of the hack, see this post. Thanks to Geminy.


UPDATE AT 13.OCTOBER.2002 : Due to a small bug, I updated the hack code. If you are downloading now, the code you dowload is already updated. If you installed the hack prior to 13.October.2002, you may want to reapply STEP 2, if you encounter problems.

Enjoy the hack.
Logician

[PET]

yea ! This is very very cool & usefull !

[squawell]

what a wonderful hack u did Logician......

[high]* squawell like this one too.... installed.....[/high]

[ULTIMATESSJ]

great hack, nice work

/me clicks install

[Logician]

Originally posted by Boofo
Is there a way to parse out the font color codes and other codes like that before it writes the message to a text file?

it can be possible but it requires some work. I cant promise it done soon, but I can try to add the feature when I'm more available..

[Boofo]

Sounds good to me. Let me know if and when you need some testing done on it.

Originally posted by Logician

it can be possible but it requires some work. I cant promise it done soon, but I can try to add the feature when I'm more available..

[Ryangel]

hmm not sure if there is something wrong but, the savefile name looks weird.
See attachment.

[Logician]

Originally posted by Ryangel
hmm not sure if there is something wrong but, the savefile name looks weird.
See attachment.

You should be able to download/save the thread anyway, could you? BTW what was the exact thread name you were trying to DL?

[Ryangel]

Yup . It viewed fine

Threadname was : "[News] 4 Jul: Minister's Speech at ITE East (Macpherson)'s Opening "

So maybe that was a problem .

[Logician]

I tried parse out special characters from thread title so that file name will be nice but some may be missed. In your example it was : char. It's no big deal but if it bothers you, there are 2 possible solutions:

1- edit line:

$filename=preg_replace("/[.!\\\?\^\'\"\$]/", '', $thread[title]);


and replace it as:

$filename=preg_replace("/[.!:\\\?\^\'\"\$]/", '', $thread[title]);

(This will parse out : char too)

2- If you are not interested in naming the file name after thread title, replace the same line as:

PHP Code:

$filename='Thread'.$threadid; 


After the change all file names will be like "Thread1244.txt" and no more file name bugs. However I personally prefer to use thread title as file name, it is much better IMO..

Your call

[Ryangel]

I followed your first soloution .

Worked out well

Thanks for the hack!